AOASCC News & Notes
Spotlight on Volunteers

These are difficult times and we do not know what the months ahead will be like, but approximately 354 volunteers are preparing to resume serving through the Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs. Yearly these volunteers provide around 154,000 hours of service to older adults and children in the greater New Haven area. All of our volunteers are unique, compassionate and are very special to the agency's Volunteer and Training Department.
 
Let's pause for a moment to highlight one of our newest volunteers. Elizabeth Yarbrough is a Foster Grandparent at a local school. Her supervisor tells us that she always goes beyond & above the call of duty to be a helpful to the students. She is patient and takes time to really listen.
 
Ms. Yarbrough's service extends beyond FGP. She has been very active in preparing meals and food baskets for the community during the pandemic. She is out there knocking on doors to share available resources to meet the needs of the families in the community and spending time addressing the needs of the individuals in the food bank line.
 
We salute Elizabeth for presenting the values of the FGP program in the classroom and for being a committed volunteer in the community.  
Volunteer with us! Click here to find out more.

A Tree of Thankfulness and Gratitude

Earlier this year we were pleasantly surprised by three Senior Companion volunteers. They were really looking forward to making a statement and created a beautiful tree in our large staff area. We are so appreciative of the time and talent they shared with us - the tree makes everyone smile when they walk by! Read more about these wonderful volunteers.
Caregiver Corner - Are you caring for someone from far away?

Check out these tips to make your job a little easier:
1.   Learn What You Need to Know as a Long-Distance Caregiver. Learn as much as you can about your family member or friend's illness, medicines, and resources that might be available. This can help you understand what is going on, anticipate the course of an illness, prevent crises, and assist in healthcare management.
2.   Plan Your Visits with an Aging Parent or Relative. Set realistic goals for visits. Talk to your family member or friend ahead of a visit and find out what they would like to do while you are there.
3.   Activities to Do When Visiting an Aging Parent or Relative. Try to make time to do things unrelated to being a caregiver. Finding time to do something simple and relaxing can help everyone and it builds more family memories.
4.   Get in Touch, and Stay in Touch. Many families schedule conference calls with doctors, the assisted living facility team, or nursing home staff so several relatives can participate in one conversation and get up-to-date information about a relative's health and progress.
5.   Help an Aging Parent Stay in Contact from Afar. Whether it’s installing a private land line in a nursing home room or getting them a cell phone, staying connected with your aging parent can give everyone some peace of mind.
6.   Organize Paperwork. Organizing paperwork is one way that a long-distance caregiver can be a big help. Focus on gathering the essentials first and fill in the blanks as you go along. 
7.   Get Caregiving Training. Whether you are the primary caregiver or a long-distance caregiver, getting some caregiving training can be helpful. For example, training can teach you how to safely move someone from a bed to a chair, how to help someone bathe, and basic first aid. Information about training opportunities is available online.
8.   Gather a List of Resources in your Aging Relative's Neighborhood. Searching the Internet is a good way to start collecting resources. Check with a local library or senior center, Area Agency on Aging, or Eldercare Locator to find out about sources of help.
Did You Know?

  • Approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. 
  • Approximately one in three people in the United States between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing.
  • People with hearing loss wait an average of 7 years before seeking help
  • Only 1 in 5 people who would benefit from a hearing aid actually uses one.

Hearing Loss Association of America; National Department on Health and Human Services
Hearing Loss can be Isolating

People with hearing loss often will avoid social situations because they can’t follow a conversation; sometimes they lose the thread and attempt to participate based on what they thought they heard and give responses that are not relevant or get an unexpected reaction from those they are speaking with. They may be laughed at or insulted. This often causes embarrassment, a blow to self-esteem and often depression. For some it is just not worth it to put themselves in situations where this can happen. Not just limited to conversation, individuals will avoid sitting with others at meals, recreational activities that once gave them joy, lectures, shopping, religious services, activism.

Hearing Loss and Masks

Many people with hearing loss need to hear at closer proximity in order to understand conversation especially if they are not using amplification and most need to use visual cues: they need to see lip and mouth movements and other facial expression. At this time when face masks are strongly recommended or mandated they pose many challenges – conversation is muffled and reduced in volume. And the ability to see visual cues to augment the auditory is totally obscured.  
CHOICES - When to Enroll in Medicare

For many decades, age 65 meant receiving Social Security and Medicare benefits. Today, however, the age to receive full Social Security benefits is higher than 65 and many more people age 65 are still working and receiving employer provided benefits. So, when should you enroll in Medicare? Do you have to enroll in Medicare?

The answers to these questions are not simple, because there is no one correct answer for everyone. There are multiple factors that determine when someone should enroll in Medicare. If, at age 65, an individual is still working and receiving employer provided benefits that are adequate to cover their health care costs, it may be in their best financial interest to delay enrollment in Medicare. However, if they are working for an employer who has fewer than 20 employees, they must enroll in Medicare. The quality of their employer provided insurance is irrelevant. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll lose employer benefits, but they must add the Medicare benefit. Since individuals have “pre-paid” their Medicare A premiums over their years of employment, there is no additional premium charge to the individual. Medicare and employer coverage work together, with the employer benefit being the primary payer but Medicare may be available to supplement some coverage.

Enrollment in Medicare B however, isn’t as simple to plan for when you’re employed. There are premiums to pay for Medicare B, and failure to enroll can result in lifetime consequences when at a later date employer benefits are no longer available. Decisions about Medicare enrollment should be made with full knowledge of the options. Since there are multiple different scenarios, each with different consequences, one should make certain they have all the facts before making a decision about enrolling in Medicare. 
The CHOICES program is available to help you understand your options. CHOICES is the state of CT’s health insurance information program. CHOICES counselors are certified in their knowledge of Medicare and do not sell any insurance products. They are a source of accurate, impartial information about Medicare. You can contact a CHOICES counselor by calling 800 994 9422.
SCAMs Targeting Medicare beneficiaries

Be aware, scammers are continuing to take advantage of the pandemic. There have been recent reports that insurance agents have been convincing confused Medicare beneficiaries to switch plans. There are strict federal guidelines regarding these plans and NO unsolicited contact is permitted. Read more.

Call this number to be connected with the SMP program at your local Agency on Aging in Connecticut. 800-994-9422
Opportunities for Professionals in the Aging Network
Interagency Council on Aging of South Central Connecticut
Interagency meets bimonthly beginning in October and provides opportunities for education and networking.

This year presentations will focus on Housing Transitions in Later Life.

M-Team's bimonthly meetings begin in September and addresses elder abuse, neglect or exploitation
Elder Abuse in the Covid Era

TEARS, our annual conference addressing elder abuse, fraud and scams, will gather as a virtual conference this year.

Online Conference
October 8 & 9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.